Apparatus for operating elevator-doors.



T. A. HOLLGRAN. $5 FOR OPERATING ELEVATOR DOORS.

APPARATU APIf LIG ATION FILED JULYIG, 1913.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

a sHEBTs-sHEE L niiilwww l t T. A/HOLLORAN. APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ELEVATOR DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16, 1913.

Paianfied Sept. 29, 1914.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2f T A. HOLLORAN. APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ELEVATOR DOORS: APPLICATION FILED JULYlG, 1913.

L 1 l Qflflg Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

w m 3 SHEETSSHBET 3.

FEM um. L m w/mww THOMflS A. HOLLORAN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF CDLUMBIl /l.

APPARATUS FOR OPERAYKING ELEVATORJSUORS.

To all 101mm it may concern Be it known that l, Tnorras A. HoLLonAn, a citizen of the'United States, residing at ll ashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Int proveinents in Apparatus for Operating Elevatordfroors, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for operating elevator doors.

lhe object of the present invention is to improve the construction of apparatus for operating elevator inclosure doors, and to provide an exceedingly simple and inexpensive apparatus of strong and durable constructimi adapted to be applied to any elevator inclosure door or doors without requiring any increase in the clearance space ordinarily provided between the cars or cages and the Walls of the elevator shafts and without necessitating any alteration in the construction of the cars or shafts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a door operating apparatus having door moving mechanism arranged. suiiiciently out of the way of the car and actu-.

ating mechanism on the car, and sutliciently out of the Way of doors, sills and other parts of the elevator shaft to accommodate itself to the conditions ordinarily found in elevators such as shafts out of plumb, sills projecting dillerent distances, doors set back ditl'erent distances from the car, etc, and to enable the apparatus to be arranged on the ear and in the elevator shaft in the most advantageous !l.15ltl011 for its convenient operation withoutin'ipairing its efficiency in opening and closing the inclosure doors. In constructing elevators the specifications usually call for car clearance no greater than end and one half inches at the sills of the several doors and it is an object of the in- .Cllllllll to provide a door operating apparatus which will Work perfectly in the space surrmlndinp the car in any elevator shaft.

Another objec of the invention is to pro Vltlt. a door operating apparatus equipped at the several landings with independent door moving mechanism operated by a single niotor carried by the car and adapted to actuate means on the car While the latter statitniary at the landings for imparting motion to the door moving mechai'iisin, area: 4 being unaided for eli'cctually pre venting the car from being; started either up or down until the door or doors are Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. July 16, 1913. Serial No.

Patented 238 a iases.

door

other person Without operating the proper mechanism provided for the accoinplislnnent of such result.

Another object of the invention to prevent the accidents which frequently occur to persons entering and leaving elevator cars when the latter are stopped too far above or below the floors or landings by n'ovidinige door operating apparatus equipped with a construction operable only to open an elevator inclosure door when the car is stopped Within perfectly safe limits of a floor or landing and thereby preventing a careless or inexperienced operator from stopping a car an. unsafe distance from a landing and opening the inclosure door.

With these and other objec in VlQW the invention consists in the non. construction, coinbination and arrangement oi pa ts hereinafter fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which I Figure l is a perspective view of a door operating apparatus constructed in accordance with thisinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionalview of -the saine taken trans versely of the door. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken at right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a detail perspective view of the locking device "for holding the door in its closed position. Fig. 5 is a plan view oi the motor. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of operating a double door. Fig. 7 is a detail horizontal sectional view illust'ating the manner of guiding the traveler. Fig. 8 is an elevation partly in section of the apparatus showing -a plurality of doors and door moving devices. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view showinp; the ear operating circuit and the auto matically operated switch lake. numerals 01": reference indicate like parts in all the of the drawings. The drawings car illustrate one enibodiinent 1 of the apparatus for operating elevator doors, while the claims define the actual 'scope' of the invention.

In the drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention 1 designates a slidable elevator inclosure door hung from a horizontal track 2 in the usual manner by hangers 3 having rollers 4 arranged to run on the said track 2. The door is moved along the track to open and close it by door'moving' mechanisin comprising an endless flexible connection preferably consisting of an endless chain 5, but a cord, cable or similar device may of course be employed. The endless chain 5 is composed of horizontal and vertical portions guided by sprocket wheels 6, 7, 8 and 9 and forming upper and lower horizontal runs'or stretches 10 and 11 and inner and outer ver- .tical runs or stretches 12 and 13.. The horizonal runs or stretches 10 and 11 are located above the door 1, which is connected with one of them by an arm 14 formed integral with one of the hangers 3 and. suitably secured to a link of the endless chain 5. In Figs. l-to 3 inclusive the door 1 is connected to the upper run or stretch 10 but it may be hooked up to one or the other of the runs or stretches 10 and 11 according to the arrangement of the door and when a pair of slidin doors 15 is employed at a landing as il ustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings one door is connected to one stretch or run of the chain 16 and the other door is connected to the other stretch or run as the two stretches or runs of the chain 16 move in opposite directions and will simultaneously open and close the doors when motion is imparted to the chain 16. One of the stretches or runs 12 and 13 .of the vertical portion of the chain 5, preferably the inner stretch or run 12,is equipped with a support or member 17' carrying spaced upper and lower projections 18 and 19 coactmg with and arranged to be engaged by motor actuated mechanism of a carer cage 20 to impart motion to the endless chain 5 for opening andclosing the door 1. The support or member 17 which may be construtted in any suitable man ner extends across the space between the stretches or runs 12 and 13 and has a vertical guide 21 for the outer vertical stretch or run 13 and carrying a locking device adapted to lock the chain 5 against movement in one direction to prevent the door from being openedby hand and at the same time permit free movement ofthe chain 5 in the opposite direction'to enable the door to be closed by hand should occasion arise for so doing, for instance should the door be left open' slightly, say an inch or so by the mechanism of the car 20. The guide 21,.which 'may be constructed in any desired manner is preferably formed by bending the outer edge of the support back on itself to embrace partially the chain 5 and retain the outer vertical stretch or run 123 in mesh with a sprocket wheel hich constitutes a portion of the locking device. The sprocket 22. which is mounted on a suitable shatt or spindle 23, is provided at its outer side face with a ratchet wheel or portion' L4, which is normally engaged by a spring actuated. pawl or dog 25. The pawl or dog 25 is pivoted at a point intermediate of its ends to the support or member 17 by a pin or rivet 26. and a spring 27 urges its engaging end in the direction of tnc ratchet wheel 2 The other end of the pawl 25 which is located near but slightly above the lower pro1cction 19 is arranged in the path of the motor actuated mechanism of motor actuated mechanism an instant prior to the engagement of the said lower projection 19 by the mechanism of the car 20 so that the chain 5 will be released by the looking device before motion is imparted to the said chain5 to open the elevator inclosure door. As soon as the pawl or dog 25 is relieved of the pressure of the enacting mechanism of the car it autol natically under the action of the spring 27 rengages the ratchet teeth 2t of the sprocket wheel 22. I with the ratchet elcmcnt2-lof the sprocket wheel the outer vertical stretch or run 13 is locked against upward movement but is permitted free downward movement to enposition without permitting the door to move in the direction of its open position. The mechanisn'i of the car comprises a vcrtically slidablc shoe or traveler 2S guided by spacedparallcl rails 2!) and actuated by an electric motor 30 or other suitable power. The traveler 28 which may be of any preferred construction is shown in the accompanying drawings as consisting of spaced horizontal bars having projecting terminal portions 31 arranged at the opposite faces of the guide rails 29 and receiving the same between them and slidable thereon. At the outer side the traveler 28 has a projecting engaging portion 32 which is guided by the rails 29 into the space between the projections 18 and 19 of the support or member 17 oi the door moving mechanism and which is adapted to engage the lower projection 19 to move the endless chain 5 in the proper direction to open-the door 1. In the arrangen'ient illustrated in the accompanying drawings the downward movement of the support or member 17 opens the door and the-reverse 0r upward movement caused by the engagement of the traveler 28 with the upper projection 18 closes the door. vThe'traveler or shoe 28 is clamped by connecting bolts to a pair of spaced parallel Vifhcn the pawl 25 is in engagementable the door 1 to move toward its closed the car or cage and is engaged by suclr l Ill) endless flexible connections 34, such as cords, cables belts chains or analogous deencirclingthe ear, or cage 20 at the front, back, top and bottom and guided by suitable pulleys or sheaves 35 located at the "top and bottom oi? the car or cage 20. End

less cores are preferably employed and they opcrativ ly connected with the motor preferably by being wrapped one or more times around a drum 36 on the motor shaft is rotated the endless cords 34: will be wound and unwound from the drum 3G and thereby set in motion. Any other suitable means may be employed for operatively connecting the endless cords with the motor 30 which is designed to be controlled by pusi buttons 38 or other switches arranged in convenient position within the car or cage within convenient reach of the operator. l l hen the motor circuit is closed motion is imparted to the endless cords 3 1- which are caused to travel over the pulleys and slide the shoe or traveler along the guide rails 22).

The guide rails 29 which may be c0nstructed of any suitable l'naterial, are mounted on the car or cage 20 at the front thereof and they extend downwardly "from the top of the car 20 a. suitable distance and are provided at the top of the car with substantially sigmoidal guiding bends 39 extending inwardly and inwardly over the top of the car and adapted to guide the shoe or traveler inwardly out of engagement with the upper projection 18 of the member or sup port 1'? as the latter reaches the limit of its upward movement, the traveler disengaging itself from the upper projection 18 when the elevator door 1 has about reached its closed position. The momentum. of the door 1 completes the closing movement of the door and carries the upper projection 18 slightly above 'the'point where the traveler disengagrcs itself from the said. projection 18 so a e leave sufiicient space for the traveler in its downward movement to pass beneath the upper projection and move downwardly into engagement; with the lower projection 19 to open the door 1.

The inwardly offset guiding portions or bonds oi of the rails are located slightly be low and in front of the dome 422 of the ca. or cage 20, ample space being provided at the top o't'the ear or cage 20 and the motor bring preferably.niounted upon the crosshciid -12 of the car 520, but the motor 30 may be mounted onany other convenient portion on the car and the endless cords 84 may be arrang l' in any other suitable manner to an the sliding of the traveler along the guiding: rails. Also, any other means may be employed for operat ely connecting the traveler with the actuating motor and the cords 8 are also susceptible of operation 3i", whereby when the motor shaft 37 ,The door operating apparatus of the present invention isdesigned principally for use in connection with electrically controlled elevators and in practice a suitable switch 44, connected with the operating circuit 45 of the elevator will be arranged in the path of the trz-xvelcr to cause the latter to-close the o erating circuit, when the door 1. is closed and reopen the operating circuit and prevent; the .car or cage while the door is open.

lhe automatically 0111 being started o mrating switch d4: may be conncctedwby.

wires 46 and All with the jiunper wire 48' extending from the safety switch l9 to the op erating switch l The spaced uppcrand lower projections lS a-nd 19 have fiat upper and,lower'faccs, respectively, and are adapted to prevcnt a. careless or incxperiencerfl operator from stopping his car too far above or below a prevented. from entering the space between the PYOJCCUODS 18 and 19 and engage the lower projection 1.9 and open the door. On the otheiihand, if-heslundd stop his car too far below the floor or landing the engaging pbrtion of the traveler would missthe lower projoction and could notopen the door.

In practice, the projections 18 and '19 will be placed about 8 inchesapart which will he suflicient to allow the operatorto. .stop his car two or three inches above or below a floor or landing andopen the iuclosure door as there will he sullicicnt distance between the projections 18 and 1!) to permit the engaging portion of theqtraveler to enter the space "between them and actuate the door moving.mechanism. -'l his space may be regulated lILtllG'COIlStl'l-lClllOIl of the support or member 17. Having thus fully descriliiediny invention what I claim as new-and. desire to securdbv Letters Patent is: v r U 1. In an elevator, a pluralityot doors to be moved, a car, a motor carried by the car and adapted tomove allot said doors one at a time, means for controlling the motor and means operated by the motor for .making a break in the operating circuit of the car prior to the actuation oifa door and for closing such brcakafter the door-is :losed I 2. ln .an elevators-a car -a rpl'uralitv of doorsto-be moved. a: norniall tor carried by the car, se mrate door movingdeviccs for said doors including endless flexible connections having vertical and horiinactive nio- \vardly and downwardly on the car and actuated by the niotor and adapted to impart motion to the vertical stretches one at a time, and means for guiding the traveler into and out of open engagement with the vertical stretches.

4. Inanelevatorfa car, a plurality of doors to be. moved, a motor carried by the car, separate door moving devices including endless flexible connections having horizontal and vertical stretches located at each door, the latter-being connected with the horizontal stretch, a traveler moving upwardly and downwardly on the car and ac tuated by the motor and adapted to impart motion t'o the vertical stretches one at a time, and guide rails mounted on the car and arranged to guide the traveler into and out of engagement with the vertical stretches.

5. In an elevator, a car, a plurality of doors, a motor mounted on. the car, separate door moving devices including flexible connections operatively connected with the doors and having a substantially vertical stretch at each door, and a-traveler actuated by the motor and movable upwardly and downwardly on-the car for actuating the vertical stretches.

6. In an elevator, a car, a plurality of doors, a motor mounted on the car, separate door moving devices including flexible connections operatively connected with the doors and having a substantially vertical stretch at each door, a flexible connection 'mounted on'the. car and operatively connected with and actuated by the motor, and mechanism operated by the flexible connection of the car for actuating the said vertical stretch of the door moving device.

7. In an elevator, a car, a plurality of doors, a motor mounted on the car, separate door moving devices including flexible connections connected: to the doors, a flexible connection carried by the car and operatively connected with the motor and coacting means for connecting theflexible connection of the car with the flexible connections of the door moving devices one at a time for opening andclosing the doors.

' 8. In an elevator, a plurality of doors to be moved, a car,a motor carried by the car and independent of the movement thereof,

separate door moving devices for said doors including an'cndless flexible connection consisting of a horizontal portion extending along the top of said doors and a'substantially vertical portion arranged at one-side of the doors, a flexible connection mounted on the car and operatively connected with the motor and having a substantially vertical portion, and coa'cting means for connecting the said vertical portions of the flexible connections with each other to enable the motor to actuate the doors one at a time.

9. In an elevator, a plurality of doors to be moved, a car, a motor carried by the car and independent of the movement thereof, separate door moving devices for said doors including an endless flexible connection consisting of a horizontal portion extending along the top of said doors and a substantially vertical portion arranged at one side of the doors, an. endless flexlble connection carried by and passing around the car and operatively connected with the motor, and coacting means for connecting the flexible connection of the car with the flexible connection of the door moving'devices to actuate the doors one at-a time.

10. In an elevator, a plurality of doors to he moved, av car, a single motor mounted on the car and independent of the movement thereof, a separate door moving device for each door includin a flexible connection operati'vcly connected with its respective door and having a vertical portion provided with spaced projections, a traveler movable ver tically on the car and actuated by the motor, and means for guiding the traveler into and out of the space between the projections, which are engaged by the travelen to actuate the doors one at a time.

11. In an elevator, a plurality of doors to be moved, a car, a single motor mounted on the car and independenhof the movement thereof, a separate door moving device for each door including a flexible connection operatively connected with its respective door and having a vertical portion provided with spaced 'irojections, a traveler movable vertically on the car and actuated by the motor, and a vertical guide mounted on the car and having an ofl'set portion, said. guide being arranged to guide the traveler into and out of the space between the said projections,

which are engaged by the\ traveler to actu' connected with itsrespcctive door and having a vertical stretch provided with spaced projections, a vertical guide rail mounted on the car and having an offset portion at one endfand a traveler operatively conmotor and movable along to and out of the space he rejections and also slidable lll lil guide rail to et age the said pro,-

\ to actuate the doors one at a time.

. in an. elevator, plurality of doors to e no a car, a single inc-tor mounted on the r and independent of the movement the it, a separate door moving device for each door including a flexible conively connected with its respective ocor and havin a vertical iiora e motor and slidable along the guide into out ol engageniei'lt with the said pr0- jQt anions and adapted to actuate the same to open and close the doors one at a time.

an elevator, a plurality of doorsto l, a car, a motor mounted on the car and independent of the movement thereof, a separate door moving device, for each door, including a flexible connection operatively connected with its respective door and. having; a vertical portion provided with projecting r us, an1ovahle traveler mounted on the c and ooeratively connected with the motor ind arrangedv to engage thcsaid prruecting means to move the doors one at a time, and means automatically released by the traveler for-locking the doors against movement in one direct-ion and for permitt 1g movement of the same in the opposite direction when the traveler is at rest.

In an elevator, a plurality of doors to he moveo, a car, a motor mounted on the car and independent oi the movement thereof, a separate mo ing device for each door includ- "ihlc connection operatively couh its respective door and having a i. tion, spaced vertical guide -ails on the traveler operativcly 11 'Iii. with the motor and. slidably mounted on the guide rails and movable the some while the car is stationary to and actuate the said vertical portion flexible connection.

car,

1c. in an elevator, a plurality of doors to be owned, a car, a motor mounted on the car and iiulc 'iendent of the moven'icnt tlrereof', a scpa rate moving device for each door including flc 'ihle coi'mection operatively connected w]. h its respective door and havinga vertical portion, spaced vertical guide rails mounted on the car, a traveler operatively connected with the motor and slidahly mounted on the guide rails and n'tovable along the same while the ear is stationary to engage and actuate the said vertical poly tion of the flexible connection (it {guide in: having their upper portions curved inwardly at the top of the car to guide. the traveler into and out of engagement with the said llexible connection.

1?. in an elevator, a plurality of doors to be moved, a car, a motor mounted on the car and independent elf-the movement thereof, a separate moving device for each door including a flexible connection oporatively connected with its respective door and having a vertical portion, spaced vertical guide rails mounted on the car, a traveler operatively connected with the motor and slidahly mounted on the guide "ails and iru'ivable along the some while the car is stationary to engage and actuate the said vertical portion of the flexible connection said guide rails having their upper portions curved inwardly at the top (if the car to guide the traveler into and out oi? engagement with the said flexible connectimi, and a circuit con roller located in the path of the traveler and arranged to make a break in the operatingcir cuit of the car prior to the. actuation of. a doorand adapted to c. e 'ruch break in the said circuit after the door is closed.

18. In an elevator, a plu ality of (lOOS to be moved, a car, a IllOt OITIIIOUIHC(l on the car and independent ofthe movement thereof, a separate door moving device tor each door including a sprocket hain operativoly connccted with its respective door, a traveler actuated. by the motor for inuiu'trting motion to the sprocket chain, a sorockct wheel meshing with the sprocket chain, and means and independent of the movement thereof, a

separate door moving device for each door includinga sprocket chain operatively connected with its respective door a traveler actuated by the motor for .iuuimrting motion to the sprocket chain, a sprocl ret wheel meshing with thosprocket chain, and means for lockii'ig the ratchet wheel against movement in one direction and for permitting movement in the opposite direction, whereby the, door is held against opening and is permitted movement towflrd its closed p sition.

20.1 in an elevator, a plurality of doors to he n'ioved, a "r, a motor mounted on the car and independent of the movement thereof, a separate door moving device for each door including a sprocket chain operatively connec ed with its respective door, a. traveler opcratively connected with the motor and arranged to actuate the sprocket chain, a sprocket wheel meshing with the sprocket chain, and means for l king" the sprocket wheel comprising a ratchet wheel and a pawl arranged to be automatically released by the traveler. 7

21. In an elevator, a plurality of doors to be moved, a car, a separate door moving device for each door including a flexible connection ogeratively connected with its respective door and having spaced stretches morable in opposite directions, a rotary element carried by one of the stretches and meshing with the other stretch, means for locking the rotary elementand means on the car for releasing the flexible connection from the locking device and for actuating the flexible connection. I

22. In an elevator, aplurality of doors to be moved, a car, a separate door moving device for each door including a sprocket chain operatively connected with its respective door and having spaced stretches movable in opposite directions, a sprocket Wheel meshing with one of the said stretches and carried by the other stretch, means compris ing a pawl and ratchet for locking the sprocket wheel, and means carried by the car for releasing the sprocket Wheel and for actuating the sprocket chains.

23. In an elevator, a plurality of doors to be moved, a car, a separate door moving device for each door in a flexible connection operatively connected with its respective door and having spaced stretches movable in opposite directions a support carried by one of the said stretches and having a guide receiving the other stretch, means, mounted on the support for locking the flexible connection to' hold the door closed, and me ns carried by the car for releasing the fiexi )le connection andfor actuating the same.

:24. In an elevator, a plurality of doors to be moved, a car, a separate door moving device for each door including a flexible connection operatively connected with its respective door and having spaced stretches movable in opposite directions, a support carried by one of the said stretches, a rotary element mounted on the support and meshing with the other stretch, aratchet wheel connected with the said rotary element, a

\ t awl engaging the ratchet wheel and means mounted on the car for operating the pawl to release the rotary element and for actuating the flexible connection.

25. In an elevator, a plurality of doors to be moved, a car, a single motor mounted on the car av drum connected with the motor, a pair o flexible connections guided on the car and actuated by the drum, a traveler carried by the flexible connections, a separate door moving device for each door inc uding a flexible connection operatively connected with its respective door and having projecting means to engage with the traveler,

and means carried by the car for guiding the traveler into and out of engagement with the said projecting means.

26. In an elevator, a car, a plurality of doors to be moved, a separate door moving device for each door including a vertically movable member, flexible connections operatively connecting the said movable member with its respective door, and actuating mechanism on the car comprising a vertically movable traveler adapted to engage with the said member and means for raising and lowering the traveler.

27. In an elevator, a car, a plurality of doors to be moved, a separate door moving device for each door including a vertically movable member, flexible connections operatively connecting the said movable member with its respective door, and actuating mechanism on the car comprising a verticall movable traveler adapted to engage with the said member and means for -aising and lowering the traveler, and locking means for the door moving devices automatically released by the mechanism of the ear.

28. In an elevator, a car, a plurality of doors to be moved, a separate door moving device for each door including a vertically movable member, flexible connections operatively connecting the said movable member with its respective door, and actuating mechanism on the car comprising a vertically movable traveler adapted to engage with the said member, means for raising and lowering the traveler, and locking means for the door moving devices automatically released by the mechanism of the ear, said locking means permitting the door to move in one direction and holding the same against movement-in the opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS A. HOLLORAN. Witnesses:

JOHN J. Ennn, James F. HOLLORAN. 

